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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
would and could in the past setting
Hi.
Please take a look at these and answer some questions.
a) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat every word it heard.
What is the function of 'would' here?
1) Past of 'will'
2) To indicate a past routine, ie, what it does routinely in the past
3) Conditional with an implicit if-clause? -- Then what is that implicit if-clause?
b) Joe used lenses to watch boxing matches. Could he see without the lenses? We are not sure. We only know the eyeglasses were invented by ...
What is the function of 'could' here?
1) Past of 'can'
2) Capability -- can it be in the past setting? Able to note capability in the past?
Would it be different from this -- made into the present? I think there is a difference. I think in this instance, it is used as capability -- present capability that is.
Joe uses (or using) lenses to watch boxing matches. Could he see without the lenses? We are not sure. We only know the eyeglasses were invented by ...
Please take a look at these and answer some questions.
a) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat every word it heard.
What is the function of 'would' here?
1) Past of 'will'
2) To indicate a past routine, ie, what it does routinely in the past
3) Conditional with an implicit if-clause? -- Then what is that implicit if-clause?
b) Joe used lenses to watch boxing matches. Could he see without the lenses? We are not sure. We only know the eyeglasses were invented by ...
What is the function of 'could' here?
1) Past of 'can'
2) Capability -- can it be in the past setting? Able to note capability in the past?
Would it be different from this -- made into the present? I think there is a difference. I think in this instance, it is used as capability -- present capability that is.
Joe uses (or using) lenses to watch boxing matches. Could he see without the lenses? We are not sure. We only know the eyeglasses were invented by ...
Top answer
Anonymous a) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat every word it heard. What is the function of 'would' here? 1) Past of 'will' 2) To indicate a past routine, ie, what it does routinely in the past 3) Conditional with an implicit if-clause?
- Anonymous a) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat every word it heard.
- What is the function of 'would' here?
- 1) Past of 'will' 2) To indicate a past routine, ie, what it does routinely in the past 3) Conditional with an implicit if-clause?
- -- Then what is that implicit if-clause?
- All three.
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4 Answers
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Anonymousa) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat every word it heard.All three.
What is the function of 'would' here?
1) Past of 'will'
2) To indicate a past routine, ie, what it does routinely in the past
3) Conditional with an implicit if-clause? -- Then what is that implicit if-clause?
1a) John told Joe, "The parrot will
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Anonymousb) Joe used lenses to watch boxing matches. Could he see without the lenses? We are not sure. We only know the eyeglasses were invented by ...Both.
What is the function of 'could' here?
1) Past of 'can'
2) Capability -- can it be in the past setting? Able to note capability in the past?
Present: Joe [uses / is using] lenses
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Thank you. I get confused as to what is the difference.
part of your response:
2) John told Joe that the parrot [used to / would] repeat (routinely) every word it heard.
3) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat [every word it heard / a word if it heard it].
How can we distinguish if a sentence with 'would' is making a reference to a routine like your
part of your response:
2) John told Joe that the parrot [used to / would] repeat (routinely) every word it heard.
3) John told Joe that the parrot would repeat [every word it heard / a word if it heard it].
How can we distinguish if a sentence with 'would' is making a reference to a routine like your
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>How can we distinguish if a sentence with 'would' is making a reference to a routine like your no. 2 or an implicit? or ellipted? conditional like your no.3?
Just by reading the context, and trying to see which could logically fit in that context, there's really not much in the structure of the sentences.
Just by reading the context, and trying to see which could logically fit in that context, there's really not much in the structure of the sentences.
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